Mary Blige peddles perfume

NEW ORLEANS, July 3 (UPI) -- Rapper, songwriter and actress Mary Blige had a busy week, performing at the Superdome in New Orleans, graduating from high school and launching a perfume.

Blige's schedule this weekend includes putting in some time at a booth at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, handing out free samples of My Life, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported. The fragrance, her first, is named after her 1994 album.

"My Life' is being distributed by Carol's Daughter, a company specializing in natural skin products. It will be available starting July 31 through the HSN shopping network. A dollar from every sale will go to the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now .

Blige told The Times-Picayune she was "100 percent involved" in developing the fragrance. She described the experience as "enlightening."

As for her high school diploma, Blige, 39, said she received one this week from New York City, more than 20 years after she dropped out of the 11th grade. She said she has been accepted by Howard University and she is learning French to play Nina Simone in a movie.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.